Tales from the Tower
by Rarf Garf
Summary: A conglomerate of one-shots and short stories about the various Avengers and other Marvel characters. Humor and romance oriented.
1. Chapter Index

This story will really be a series of random one-shots or short stories involving different Marvel characters. There probably will not be a whole lot of rhyme or reason as to who is involved/gets chosen, except that I've just probably recently watched something or read something and I get on a kick. Like right now I'm on a Quicksilver kick.

This is a table of contents, I suppose. I know for those on mobile phones you can't really view chapter titles, so this is my attempt to help out a little bit. And for anyone, really.

Chapter 1: Table of Contents

Chapter 2: Quicksilver/OC: Left Shoes

Chapter 3: Captain America/Reader: Blocky Fears

Chapter 4: Quicksilver/Darcy: Like Rabbits

Chapter 5: Quicksilver/Reader: You're going to ruin everything.

Please enjoy, everyone! I'll update this with every new chapter post.


	2. Left Shoes

"I got a new intern," Tony announced as he grabbed a can of shitty beer from the fridge. "Her name's Sam Bushnell, she's related to Brucey. Fury has his eye - ha! - on her. So everyone be nice and don't scare her away, alright?" He shut the door and pointed at a certain silver-haired mutant. "Especially you. Hands off, alright, pussy hound?"

Pietro held his hands up. "When have I ever misbehaved?" he asked, eyes wide and innocent. Oh, boy - he could practically _hear_ Wanda's eye roll.

Tony narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "I know your type."

"Because that type was you," Steve muttered. Tony smacked the super soldier upside the head before exiting the kitchen. All the same, Steve gave Pietro a knowing look. Pietro, hands still raised, looked around at Steve, Wanda, Natasha and Clint, about to protest. But the moment he opened his mouth a balled up napkin, glowing suspiciously red, hit him on the nose. He turned to Wanda and scowled.

"You should listen to your older sister," Natasha spoke, sipping at her coffee.

"But _I_ am the older one!" Pietro cried out.

"Really?" Clint asked, folding his arms and leaning against the counter, pretending to give Pietro a thoughtful look. "I never would have pegged it."

"Why is it Pick on Pietro day?" he asked, glaring at them all. "I hope you do not need your left shoes," he muttered before shooting off in a blur. Everyone left behind groaned. Pietro followed through on his whims - if he wanted to steal everyone's left shoe, then today at the compound there would be a few confused workers and a multitude of exasperated super heroes and agents.

"Never a dull day," Steve said.

* * *

At about noon - Pietro wondered why no one gave Stark crap for starting to drink at ten this morning - he locked the closet door. Wanda would find it later. She always knew his hiding places, but provided he kept her out of his pranks she never divulged the secret until the humor had reached its peak for everyone. Wanda had the innate ability to keep everyone happy, which more often than not meant keeping Pietro's shenanigans at a happy minimum in both fields of frequency and amount of disruption.

He ran to the level containing Stark's private labs, where the man built his suits and played with cars. It also had been where Bruce and him worked most often. Pietro had niggling feeling that he would find his goal of the day in there with Stark: he had to meet this intern. He needed her left shoe.

The Maximoff boy climbed down the stairs in a rush of blue, pausing to peer through each window he passed in the hopes of seeing some woman around his age or Stark himself. After about three windows and one startled agent he found his target. Grinning, he ran over to the door and pushed it open, eyes focusing on the figure at a computer, looking positively bored. "Hello?" he questioned. She didn't answer. He bounded over to her chair, smiling at her in the reflection of the computer's screen. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You are Stark's intern?" he asked. He placed his elbows on either side of her head and leaned over her to glance at her work. A bunch of green 1's and 0's ran across a black background. "You must be very smart."

Her face flamed at the contact of her head against his chest. "I'm alright," she stammered, inching forward, away from his chest and into the desk. She craned her neck to look up at the handsome, silver haired stranger with a thick accent, who seemed to have appeared quite literally out of nowhere. He gazed down at her with icy blue eyes, charming smile lighting his features. "Uh... Who are you?"

Pietro feigned hurt. "He did not tell you about me? I am his favorite Avenger - my name is Pietro Maximoff, more commonly known as Quicksilver." Tony's loud laugh echoed to them. Pietro glared the billionaire's way before turning back to the now-smirking intern - the sudden change in expression made him take a few mental steps backwards, rifling through their entire encounter for an explanation.

"Oh, yes, he has told me all about the resident... what was the word...?" She drummed her fingers on her chair in thought, finger tapping her chin as she fixed him with twinkling brown eyes. "Oh, yes, I remember now. The resident _pussy hound_."

Pietro closed his eyes and cursed. More of Tony's laughter carried to their ears, and the man appeared around the corner a few moments later to lean against the wall, shoulders shaking. "Sorry, Sonic. Did I kill your game?" he asked with his lopsided grin.

"His games are getting kind of redundant," she stated.

Tony slapped his hands together. "Oh! How you gonna take that, Speedy?"

Scowling, Pietro shot away in a blur.

Still grinning, Tony sauntered over to his intern for a high-five. "That was pretty good, I have to say," he told her. "You're after your boss's heart!"

"Learning from the best," she said with a wink.

He laughed. "You certainly are. Flattery will get you everywhere. But seriously - " he sobered up, "Any breakthroughs?"

She frowned and shook her head, turning back to the screen of codes. "Not yet. At least, everything keeps leading to a dead end."

Tony let out a sigh. "If it had been Bruce that stole the jet..." He shook his head. "Big Guy really doesn't want to be found. Do you think we could send a message to him, somehow? Just a broad, vague one? Talking about how he should come home and see his - what are you? Cousin? Niece?"

She thought about it. "I... don't know. His cousin's daughter...? Does that make me second cousin to the Hulk?"

"Or cousin once removed?"

"Does FRIDAY know the answer?"

"Probably, but she's busy locating everyone's left shoes." Sam opened her mouth to ask, but Tony waved the thoughts away. "Teammates pissed off Sonic this morning, and now they're all suffering the consequences. But anyway - the message. We could tell him how his dear cousin-like-relation really wants to meet the person she's modeled her studies after. Although... that might just piss him off..." Tony didn't suppose he wanted his family exposed to anything that had made the Hulk, even a microscope.

"But then at least we can just follow the destruction," she joked. They both laughed and then shook their heads in shame of themselves. That wasn't very sensitive towards Bruce... "If the message gets to the wrong people, they'll start looking for him or think of ways to attack the Avengers. We don't want that," she pointed out.

Tony sighed. "You sound like Natasha. Fine. Keep trying - take your lunch break whenever. This is the only thing on my agenda today, and yours, too."

"Yessir," she said, turning back towards the computer. She flicked back and forth between screens, trying different combinations to see if the jet revealed itself. It turned into a long afternoon. Frustrated, she skipped lunch. In fact, she lost time completely until Stark came in, face covered in soot and hair blown back. Had she missed an explosion? "You're still here? It's four thirty, Hulk Cousin. Go home."

She glanced at her watch. "Oops."

"Get outta here," Tony chuckled.

She stood up, stretched, and then waved at him. "See you tomorrow."

"You know, there's a spare room here. Just saying, then you wouldn't have to travel home and here twice a day... And you wouldn't have to work set hours..."

"No, but thank you, Tony." She enjoyed her apartment mates, no matter how loud and obnoxious they could get...

He shrugged. "Alright. Later, kid."

"Bye, Tony."

When she left work she passed by the track. A familiar blur flashed around the course, and she wondered if he ever got dizzy doing that. Of course, as soon as she let her eyes linger on the blue and silver boy's blur, he appeared in front of her. "Jesus!" she yelped.

"You are done with work today?" he asked, panting. Sweat made strands of hair stick to his forehead while the rest of the thick silver mop flopped in the wind. His blue eyes gazed at her with an intensity that rivaled the sun at her back. It startled her into silence. Blank, awkward, staring silence. "Well? Are you? I need to know."

"Uh, yes. I'm done?" she questioned, taking a step back. Somehow the intense gaze didn't seem so nice anymore...

"Good."

And he was gone. With her left shoe.

"I... what? Pietro!" she shouted, taking off after him. "Bring that back!" She halted and took off her other shoe, resuming the doomed chase hobbit-style. The grass bent beneath her feet, soft to the touch, the dirt too soft as it gave way and slowed her progress. Pietro, leaning against compound, smirked and watched her go after where he _had_ been. She'd give up once she got over to the other field, he knew. But suddenly she veered away. He furrowed his brow in confusion - why turn like that? And then he saw the little dots.

Hornets.

"Shit!" Pietro launched himself to her rescue. In a split second he scooped her into his arms and flew over the compound grounds with her. The summer wind whipped by, the buzzing in his ears not even there for half a moment before the soft rustling of trees greeted his slowing legs. He laughed, letting her legs drop to touch the ground. She stumbled a little, a common occurrence he was prepared for, so he kept his arm hooked around her. "I will alert the groundskeeper," he informed her.

"I think I might throw up..."

"Were you stung?" he asked, lifting his other hand to tilt her face towards his. He smiled smugly when he saw the dazed look in her eyes - a whirlwind adventure for her, he knew, and so normal for him.

"No," she answered, eyes beginning to clear. "You bastard!" she laughed, pushing away from him. "Where's my shoe? Oh..." She looked around. "I dropped my other one...

Pietro laughed. "Wait a moment?" he asked. Before she could answer he already returned, her right shoe dangling from his hands by its laces. He gave her a smile. "Found it." She lunged forward. He leaped backwards. "You are too slow. I am not even using super speed," he informed her, the smug smile growing to a grin when she feinted to one side and her finger tips grazed his arm. "Clever," he commented. He held the shoes above her head, "Take the bait." And then she surprised him. She full-force tackled him.

They tumbled backward to the ground, she landing on his chest and driving the wind from his lungs. She scrambled off him and snatched her shoe away. "You alright?" she asked as she put her shoe back on and double knotted it tight to her foot. Pietro rolled onto his side and punched her arm. "It seems so," she answered, smirking at him. "Now where's my left shoe?"

"With the others," he groaned.

"The _others_? You have a serious problem, kid."

"Me?" He sat up and threw a handful of grass at her. "You're working for Stark. You have some warped sense of humor," he accused.

She pointed to her foot. "I don't care. I want Montgomery back. We're a team!"

"Montgomery?"

"I don't need to explain anything to you, Pussy Hound," she said, scrambling backwards in anticipation of his counterstrike. She anticipated right. He leaped forward and bowled her over. "G'roff me!"

"Surrender your other shoe!"

"Never!" She slammed her shoulders into his chest and ripped her shoe off. "Run, Benedict!" she shouted and threw her shoe. Then she paused. She looked from the shoe, to a smirking Pietro, and then to the ground. "I've gone insane." Chuckling, he brushed his pants off and stood. He offered her his hand, smirk fading into a smile.

"Shall we go get Montgomery and Benedict? It seems a shame to so tragically separate a perfect team."

She took his hand and got to her feet. Smiling, she reached out and brushed dirt off his chest. His heart fluttered beneath the touch. No matter how much it annoyed Pietro, Stark had been right to shoo him from Sam. She was gorgeous. He wanted to grab her hand and keep it on his chest, over his heart, wanted to draw her close and press his lips to hers. But he did no such thing. He hadn't seriously considered any girls since Sokovia, deciding to figure out his own powers and place in the world as an Avenger before involving another person. After seeing Wanda and Vision together, he realized he didn't want the hundred one-night relationships he had. He wanted a singe, serious one.

"I do kind of need them to get home," she admitted. "So my shoes would be nice..."

Pietro plucked a blade of grass from her short, dark hair, shaking himself from his thoughts. "I suppose. Ready for a ride?"

"Wha-no!"

Too late.

When they stood in front of the locked closet he let her legs find the floor. "You can stand?"

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered, a hand over her eyes. "If I throw up I'm aiming for you."

"I will dodge," he replied, digging the key from his pocket. Jiggling the key and knob, he swung the door in to reveal a pile of shoes. At the top sat Montgomery, in his regal purple grace. "Here." Pietro grabbed the shoe and tossed it backwards. He threw the key inside the closet and shut the door, deciding that everyone had been without their shoes long enough. If they could find the shoes now, they got their shoes.

Sam bent over to put on her other shoe. Pietro stepped behind her and waited, mind flashing through his next move. "Double knots do not stop me," he commented, peering around her shoulder.

"They make me feel better," she answered, standing up.

Perfect. Her back brushed his chest. He slipped his arms around her waist and bent his head to her neck. "You feel better now? About me?" His breath coursed over her neck. From here he could see the red creeping from her cheeks outwards, a blush that made his own stomach do flips. "It is almost supper time. You could stay with me - I will make you comfortable." His lips brushed her neck.

"Or I'll go home!" she yanked away. Snapping her fingers at him and giving him an awkward, flustered smile, she said, "See you round, Pussy Hound."

Pietro considered going after her, but stopped. "You will be back tomorrow, yes? Stark told me to not scare you away!"

"Yes, Pietro," her voice came back, laughter in it. He smiled in relief.

* * *

The next day Tony looked down and saw Sam's bare feet. "Is that protocol?" he asked. "I don't think that's protocol."

"If you can find my shoes let me know," Sam muttered back, flexing her toes. "I miss them." Tony considered asking, and then just shook his head. "Still no sign," she informed him. He heaved a sigh.

"Keep looking." He left the lab to go retrieve coffee for both him and the girl. Rubbing his eyes, he shook his head.

"Is something wrong, Stark?" an accented voice asked.

Tony looked up to see Pietro standing there in the hall. Odd, to see him not moving faster than the eye could catch. "Nothing new," he told the boy. And then he noticed the shoes dangling from his hands. Rather feminine looking tennis shoes. "Purple's not really your color," he commented before pushing past him. "And if that's really how you keep a girl, you have issues, kid."


	3. Blocky Fears

Being a new Avenger has its ups and downs. The training sessions are brutal, but you can feel your body become stronger with every pained muscle and dark bruise. The intelligence-training (or pounding, as you like to think of it) makes your brain go numb everyday, and sometimes you dream about Clint and Natasha and even Hill demanding answers and slapping you over the head when you answer wrong. Although, the oddest dream was when Wanda spoke in quick Russian to you, pointed to a teddy bear expectantly, and then you proceeded to cry because it turned into a very large horse that loved you. Wanda threw it at you in anger, prompting you to wake up, sweaty in bed and very confused. She laughed when you told her.

But having the training invade every part of your life made the one day off every week that much sweeter. Today, you decide to spend it lounging around, either bugging Wanda, watching T.V. with Sam, or running around with your new diamond sword on minecraft, slaying spiders, zombies, Endermen, you name it. Your ideal day of doing a whole lotta nothing.

 _Knock, knock._

"Come in?" You call over your shoulder, pausing the game. The door opens to reveal Captain America, freshly showered, one of the few that refuses to take a day off from physical training. "Hey, Steve!"

"Morning, Y/N." He tilts his head to the side. "Playing a game?"

"Yeah. You're welcome to watch and play if you want - unless you need something?"

He smiles. "I think I'll watch, if that's alright."

"'Course," you answer with a smile, heart speeding up. Maybe this ideal day just got ideal-er.

The Captain steps in and shuts the door with a soft click. You unpause the game as he walks over, leaning over your shoulder to peer at the screen. "What is this?" he asks.

"Minecraft," you reply, setting a dark oak block in place. It's your favorite block to build with for its aesthetic purposes - the dark color of the block makes the hut feel all cozy, and once you put in the oven and a torch over your red-sheeted bed it feels like home. Along with your dog, of course. Who has a blue collar from the dye you collected.

"What do you do? Is your house on top of a tree?" A pig oinks, and when your character turns to see a pig and chicken staring expectantly at you, Steve scratches his head.

You smile at how confused he sounds. He probably can't imagine being sucked into a video game for three hours like you've been. "You build things and try to survive. There's creative mode and survival mode; I'm on survival mode right now." Your character peers out the door before running into the fullmoon-lit night of the blocky world, down the vines to the ground. "I'm trying to find a dungeon so I can get a saddle. I really want a horse."

Still confused, he sits down on your bed and watches you. Your character leaps down into a canyon, landing in your thoughtfully-placed water and saving you from death. And then you hear a groan. "Not today, bitch!" you growl, whipping around and slicing the zombie. It flashes red and comes at you again. Another hit and it falls over, leaving behind rotten meat.

"Was that a _zombie_?"

"There's a dragon in the Nether," you inform him.

He chuckles. "Can I see the dragon?"

Oh, shit. You don't want to let him down, but going to the Nether terrifies you... You had made the portal three weeks ago, and after one venture in you decided you could let the dragon live in peace. You didn't need to prove yourself. Nope. "Of course! Just let me go to my portal..." Which, of course, to heighten the feeling of impending doom and excitement you had made close to the dungeon, in some hall you had mined. Only one torch lit the long hall, and as you approached the music dropped out. Your heart sped up. Can't look like a coward, can't look like a coward... "Here we go..."

The screen loads, and the sounds start. You can hear the Endermen, and their purple eyes haunt the back of your eyelids. "Here's the Nether," you inform Steve.

"Creepy," he mutters.

"Yeah..." You inch forward, and then run, tilting the camera up. "Where's the dragon? Doo, do-doo... AH!" An Enderman appears in front of you. You hit it and it lets out that horrible noise that if your heard in real life, you'd probably shit your pants. It disappears for a second, then comes back. "NO! AH! FUCK - NO! SHIT, DAMN!" You keep swinging, clicking as fast as you can, screams rivaling the comic effect of PewDiePie's. "HEEEEELP!" Two strong arms wrap around you. You lean into them, clicking madly and still shouting curses as Steve lets out a laugh that you can feel. "I AIN'T EVER GONNA DIE!" The screen becomes red and tilts. "Avenger132 was killed by an Enderman" read the caption. You deflate. "Aw... My sword..."

Steve chuckles, the noise rumbling in his chest and vibrating against your shoulders. And then you fully realize the situation. "You have a foul mouth," he comments. "It's entertaining."

Really? You heard about the comment Steve made to Tony in Sokovia - well, _everyone_ had heard about that. Maybe Ton had blown it out of proportion. Either way, the comment took you by surprise. "Thank you. I do my best." Whatever shampoo he uses smells good. And he's so much warmer than the air in your room. Much more comfy than the chair, too.

"Your heart's really pounding."

"I fucking hate the Nether dragon. It terrifies me," you confess.

He lets go of you and then the world spins by. When it stops you look up to see Steve leaning over you, his hands on either armrest of the office chair, face tinted pink. "Want to go for a walk? Forget about the Nether in the light of the park - maybe get some coffee rather than rotten meat?"

You can feel the smile engulf your face as you nod. "I'd really like that," you answer. If only he could feel your heart now.

A smile to rival yours graces his face, and he extends his hand. "It's a date, then."


	4. Like Rabbits

He watched her from across the room, smiling, laughing, cracking jokes with Tony that made Thor's laughter boom across the party and Jane Foster almost double over. Pietro sighed and sipped at his drink. His finger tapped on the glass at a rate that exceeded quick, much to annoyance of his sister. _Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap._ "Pietro." _Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap._ "Go," she urged. "You keep missing your chances. Wait any longer and the Falcon will swoop in and snatch her away."

"Lovely imagery," he commented. _Tap tap tap._ He shook his head. "She is friends with gods and scientists. Why would she want me?" At first Stark's charity party had seemed like a great time to make a move, but after seeing her with her dazzling friends his confidence shriveled. How could he compare? All he could do was run fast.

Wanda rolled her eyes. If his head was any thicker she'd call it Mjolnir. "Just listen to me." If only he could sense the way she stared after him, too. If only she could realize that she felt the same exact way about him, that he was out of her league. Pietro looked at Wanda expectantly. "Go over and ask her to dance. You will make her night, you will see."

"How do you know?" Wanda raised an eyebrow. Pietro laughed nervously. "I know, I know. I will go... After another few drinks."

Wanda pushed him away. Pietro stumbled forward and turned around to glare at Wanda, but she had already disappeared to speak with Vision. Scowling at her and sending a curse her way (he caught the slight upward curve of her lips and knew she heard it), he flashed over to Darcy, Thor, Jane Foster and Tony Stark. And then he wondered why he did that. He didn't give himself any time to think about what he was going to say.

"Easy, little jackrabbit," Tony cautioned. "Not everyone here is quite as adjusted to crazy as we are." Sure enough, when he glanced back he saw a few confused party-goers looking around for the source of the sudden wind that had disheveled their hair and clothes.

"Sorry," he muttered. His eyes raked over Darcy, loving the way her dress showed off every curve. Their eyes met and Darcy looked away. Obviously she wasn't interested.

Thor let out a laugh. "We should bring you to an Asgard celebration. You can run around all you like - the other warriors will make a game out of trying to catch you!"

"Hey! When do we get to come to Asgard?" Darcy bugged. Jane glanced to Darcy and then smiled hopefully at Thor. Pietro wondered what that party would be like, and if Darcy would want to talk to him then.

The God of Thunder chuckled. "Soon, I expect." Darcy and Tony exchanged winks. They had a bet going on when Thor would pop the question - there was no doubt about 'if'. Not noticing their exchange, Thor asked, "You look as if you require something, fast one. Did you come over here for a favor?"

He swallowed, feeling the embarrassment begin to rise to his cheeks. "Uh, yes. May I dance with you, Darcy?" Prepare for rejection, he thought.

The grin on Tony's face rivaled the Joker's. Darcy's eyes got wide, and then she nodded vigorously. "Wow. Yes. Whisk me away." Pietro's heart skipped a beat.

Jane covered her mouth to suppress giggles. Pietro took Darcy's drink from her hand, and then paused. "Uh..." He turned to Tony. "Hold these?" Before the billionaire could respond Pietro shoved the drinks into his hands and darted away with the ecstatic girl into the loose crowd of dancers. Unfortunately, he didn't take into account the effect his speed would have on her, and when he quickly set her down she was breathless. She thought it was just from having his attention - it had happened before on several occasions when he walked into a room and gave her a smile. "Sorry - I shouldn't have done that," he muttered, looking at his shoes.

"Do what? Be insanely hot?" His head snapped up, eyes wide. "I mean - damn. Shit. I'm caught. I'll just keep talking, because why stop when I've barely started a hole? You're the best cut slice of meat I've ever seen. And your accent about does me in every time you speak. Your hair, too - I love it. And I think you and your sister are so sweet." Best slice of meat? she scolded herself. Horrible line. But when he began smiling bright enough to light the entire room, she sucked in a breath. "Your smile is wonderful. You should do that more often."

"And here I thought you would be too caught up with everyone else to be interested in me," he confessed, stomach flipping backwards.

She scoffed. "Who else is there to compete with you? I thought you would just look through me."

Pietro rested a hand on her waist and took her other hand in his, beginning to move them to the music. Darcy thought her heart might stop. There could be a thousand kittens mewling for her attention and she wouldn't take it away from Pietro. The twin ducked his head. "You've met gods."

"You mean Thor? And Fandral? Pfft. Thor's taken and Fandral only looks at girls for a night."

"How about the Falcon?"

"What about him?"

Everyone knew that Sam wanted to ask Darcy out, but she never seemed to give him the time of day. "Nothing," Pietro lied. Maybe he was the reason for her obliviousness, and he wasn't about to throw the chance away. "So... I should have done this a long time ago?" Mischief lit his sparkling blue eyes.

"Done what?" He leaned in and softly pressed their lips together. It was soft, quick, just a peck. But it temporarily made them both unable to think. "Oh, that. Yes. Do it again," she breathed.

"You liked it?"

"Duh." He laughed. When he glanced above her head for the exit he caught sight of Tony, Thor, Jane, Wanda, and even Captain America watching them with a variety of smug, happy, and excited expressions. Darcy followed his gaze. "Oh, dear." She saw Tony take money from Jane. "That bastard!"

Pietro squeezed her hand to bring her attention back to him. "We can continue this elsewhere?"

"What do you have in mind?" she asked. Oh, she hoped she knew where this was going... He winked. Yep. She knew, and hell yeah did she want to. Pietro wrapped his arms around her and they vanished in a blur.

"Told you," Tony said, grinning at everyone. "Have fun with those two running around like a couple of rabbits."


	5. You're going to ruin everything

Pietro Maximoff would never fall in love.

He had many reasons for this declaration.

One: He had decided this shortly before volunteering for the HYDRA experiments - Sokovia's plight seemed far greater than any petty sentimentality. When compared to the problems of the rest of the world, romantic love just didn't really fit in as important.

Two: He had Wanda to look out for. How could he even begin to imagine someone else to be just as protective over? How could he possibly protect two people in the same way? Simple: he couldn't. So he would not even try.

Third: Well, this reason went along with the first, in a way. As an Avenger, he felt that he should always be available to help the world, to be there for people that needed him. If he could save a child from growing up without parents, and prevent parents from losing a child, then he would. But having someone dear to him might blind him from the greater good.

So far, so good. The policy had worked well for him.

The moment he saw you he thought, "Shit. This is the bitch that's going to ruin everything."

He had watched Wanda fall in love with Vision. He had laughed at how Pepper and Tony treated each other, had seen how Thor and Jane acted like extensions of each other. The old man and Laura were by far the most perfect couple. But he never saw himself doing any such thing. Just as he could never see the Captain fall in love again, especially not after what he had learned about Peggy Carter. Poor man.

Despite everything, however, he had learned certain behaviors and desires. He couldn't help but want someone as steady in his life as Pepper was to Tony, Thor to Jane, Vision and Wanda to each other.

* * *

You, a new recruit for the Avengers, struck Pietro Maximoff speechless when you stepped out of the car Stark had sent for you. You squinted against the descending sun, trying to block the intense light with a hand. Pietro popped over to you, standing in the way of the sun for you, a smirk on his face, eyes bright, heart pounding. He thought you were the most beautiful person to ever come to the compound. Suddenly he was not quite so mad about being signed to show the new recruit around. "My name is Pietro Maximoff," he introduced, taking a page from Thor and kissing the back of your hand. "Welcome to the Avengers."

Startled by his sudden appearance, you jumped back and yelped, a smoke ring pluming from your mouth. Pietro jumped back, too. "Wow! That is your power?" he asked, stepping even closer. He reached around and grabbed your suitcase from you.

"EXTREMIS, yes," you answered, blushing orange at his proximity. You'd be lying if you said this man wasn't incredibly attractive, made even more so by his acceptance and curiosity. Everything about him seemed kind, from his words to his brilliant blue eyes. "I can... breathe fire."

He grinned widely. "Do you enjoy pranking others?" A twinkle in those eyes.

"Yes."

Immediately he had you on his shoulders for a piggy back ride. "We announce your arrival in speed and flames."

"Woah, wait! Mr. Maximoff - ,"

Too late. "Breathe fire!" he commanded as the world blew by. Adrenaline pumping through your veins, you laughed and complied. The familiar, comforting heat rose in your chest and climbed to your throat before erupting in a spout of flames. Silver and orange blurred together. The fire alarms blared in veering frequencies, sounding like winding whines. And then something hit you two. Hard.

Pietro's tripped and you both crashed to the floor. You both let out pained groans and peered over to see none other than Captain America in his leather jacket and jeans, looking completely baffled. "What the hell are you doing? And who the hell are you?" He picks up his shield from the carpet and waits for an answer. You and Pietro exchange glances, you unsure how to respond. How does one talk to Captain America?

Natasha appeared behind him, yanking Pietro to his feet and hanging onto his collar. "This is the new recruit," she answered for you. She cast a smirk your way. "The EXTREMIS experiment. I see she's made herself at home already." The fire alarms disappeared. Apparently some workers had already responded to fire, thoroughly impressing you. Not even Aldrich Killian's employees had reacted that fast. Natasha turned to Pietro and glared. "If you ruin her I will end you. Understand?"

"Yes, yes."

"Good." She released him and turned to you. Captain stepped to her side. You three exchanged introductions as Pietro paced anxiously around. "Why don't you - good job," Natasha said. You looked over and saw your suitcase next to Pietro. "And I expect you both in the training room at five tomorrow morning. Two hours before everyone else. Cap and I will be there. We're diving right in - how's that for punishment for setting the grounds on fire?"

"Thank you," you immediately replied, relief coursing through you. If anything, Captain America and Black Widow appeared to find your entrance amusing. Pietro nodded his agreement, smirking.

"Alright. We'll leave you with Pietro _and Wanda_ ," Captain said, glancing at Pietro. "No more incidents tonight."

"Then tomorrow is okay?" Pietro asked. You turned around and smacked him in the stomach. He let out a laugh. Captain shook his head and the two Avengers walked off. As soon as they disappeared, Pietro turned you to face him. He tried to say something, but shut his mouth. He continued to shift nervously eyes darting to the warm lights, the soft carpet, and the odd geometric paintings on the wall. "I am looking forward to getting to know you," he finally told you, eyes softening on your features. The sincerity made your stomach jump, and the heat rising to your face had nothing to do with your power.

You smiled back. "I'm looking forward to it, too." He ducked his head and returned the shy gesture. Yep. You were going to ruin everything for him.

 **Special thanks to you-make-me-wander on tumblr. Credit goes to them for the prompt that led to this chapter.**


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